Ibrahim Sunusi of Nasarawa United – the 2018/2019 NPFL joint highest goal scorer, along with Akwa United’s Mfon Udoh on 10 goals apiece, has traveled to Russia just few days after completing a switch to Plateau United for the 2019/2020 season, Completesports.com reports.
Sunusi scored 10 goals in the concluded season, same as Mfom Udoh, with both sharing the Unisel award for the highest individual scorer of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) last term. Each received N2million prize money and golden boot.
But our checks have now revealed that Sunusi has traveled to Russia in search of Euro deal few days after signing a contract of undisclosed terms with Plateau United for the upcoming season.
“We invited eight players for a look-in for the coming season and they have started arriving our camp, ” informs an official of the club.
Sunusi in NPFL action for Nasarawa United
“Prominent among them is Ibrahim Sunusi from Nasarawa United who scored 10 goals last season to emerge joint top scorer with Mfom Udoh of Akwa United.
“As a matter of fact, he has signed for us. The others include three Ghanaians – a goalkeeper, a midfielder and a striker.
“The General Manager, Pius Henwen, addressed all the new players who were assessed at the stadium on Monday.”
Aside the invited eight, other players came on their own to try their lucks with chief coach, Audu Isah taking temporary charge in the absence of technical adviser, Abdul Maikaba, who is in Saudi Arabia for the lesser Hajj.
Maikaba, a former Akwa United gaffer, is expected back on August 22.
Completesports.com reports that club boss, Pius Henwem mandated the interim coaching crew to be fair in their assessment and selection of the players.
“He urged them to do away with sentiment in their selection process and pick their team purely on merit.
2018/19 NPFL joint top scorers: Ibrahim Sunusi (r) and Mfon Udoh
“You must be reminded that our ultimate ambition this coming season is to win a ticket back into the continent,” Henwem told the coaches while assuring them of government’s continued positive response to their welfare needs.
However, Completesports.com understands that Sunusi has traveled to Russia for trials with at an undisclosed club.
The striker’s pal at Nasarawa United informs that Sanusi has signed for Plateau United and has traveled to Russia.
“As we speak now (Tuesday evening), Sunusi is in Russia,” the Nasarawa United player said.
Sunusi at the airport
“But truth is, he signed for Plateau United before traveling. But what I don’t know is which of the clubs, Nasarawa United or Plateau United that will issue his International Transfer Certificate (ITC), on event his deal in Russia sails through as we all expect and hope for.”
An official of Nasarawa United corroborates our findings about the Sunusi transfer and trip to Russia.
He also admits that Sunusi signed for the 2017 NPFL champions, Plateau United before traveling but would not reveal which of the two clubs that will profit from the proceeds if the Euro deal materializes.
“For now, I can’t say anything on that, in the coming days, we will know.” he said.
By Sab Osuji
COMMENTS
Yet people will keep asking that home based be invited.
No mind dem. Anyone that make’s small waves, the next minute he’s abroad yet people cannot face reality.
Only a foolish coach that has got no clue of what he is doing will follow that route as no meaningful stability will ever be achieved by d national team with this mad rush to foreign leagues by home based players,though I can blame them for that but blame our league that is a complete write off.